Web Building and Other Tricks of the Heart
by Steampunkgirl198
Summary: John x Vriska: Vriska Serket wants nothing more than to start over. She's left her old life, and all the memories it holds, behind and is now a student at Skaia University. A sullen, untrusting freshman who doesn't know anyone shouldn't attract too much attention. She's doing well, if you ignore the fact that in her first week she's already nearly killed a fellow student...
1. Chapter 1

Your name is Vriska Serket, and you are completely lost. It's been half an hour and you're still no closer to finding your first class than you were when you started. You couldn't sleep this morning, and so you'd gone ahead and left early, thinking that maybe you could make a good impression on your first day before the professor discovered what a miserable student you would be. Now it seemed like you'd be lucky to make it to class at all. As you walk down yet another hall, you wonder just how large Skaia University is. It had seemed fairly average on the website, nothing massive like what you are experiencing now. You knew you'd come from a small place, but seriously, how could one university be so _big? _You've gone up and down countless staircases and gotten turned around in this maze of hallways so many time you're ready to scream. You've passed the same motivational posters 8 times at least, and you swear if you have to walk past that janitor and her silent judgment _one more time._ Well, let's just say it won't be pretty.

You are starting to regret not going to the help desk on the ground floor to begin with, but you've never really been one to seek help from others. You'd rather do thing your way, even if your way does result in being trapped in the hallway maze from hell.

You turn the corner, and find yourself confronted with the same common room space you left ten minutes ago. The walls are a light blue color, and one wall is taken up by a large window overlooking nice green space below. There are several tables spaced evenly around the area, as well as a dark green couch against the back wall. Several plastic ferns litter the corners, and an old vending machine advertises an assortment of stale snacks. Bright sunlight streams in through the window and you feel a familiar ache behind your temples. Great. A migraine is just what you need today. Feeling more annoyed by the seconsd, you dig a few quarters out of your bag and deposit them into the vending machine. You press the button "B8" and watch as your pack of M&Ms are pushed forward. The machine makes a suspicious grinding noise, and stops just as the candy reaches the edge. You stand staring at the brightly colored mechanical demon for a moment before letting out a scream of frustration.

"God _damn it_!" You yell, slamming your fist against the glass. The M&Ms sway a bit, but don't move, as if trying to taunt you. "_Fine,_" you hiss. "I wasn't hungry anyways."

Just then your stomach growls, betraying you. You hit the machine once more before turning away in disgust. You jump, startled by the appearance of a girl standing just a few feet away from you. She's wearing a light purple jacket, with what looks like tentacles weaving around the sides, over black jeans, along with well-worn purple sneakers. Her blond hair is cut short, and is a stark contrast to her almost violet eyes.

Shit. She probably saw all of that. You don't like other people in general, much less so when they catch you being defeated.

"You know, you really shouldn't damage school property like that," she says to you. Despite the seriousness of her tone, you can see the hint of a smile playing across her lips.

"True," you say, regarding her skeptically. "But it stole my M&Ms." You'd debated snapping at her, but she doesn't really seem intent on giving you a hard time. You don't really have any good comebacks this early in the morning anyways.

She frowns and says with what this time is clearly mock seriousness, "A most terrible crime indeed. This calls for drastic measures."

Before you can say anything else, she walks past you and deposits four quarters into the machine. She traces her fingers across several of the buttons before selecting "A8". You watch as a pack of Sun Chips are pushed forward directly above your hostage candy. They reach the end of the ledge, hang suspended precariously for a moment, and fall into the tray below without so much as brushing the packet of M&Ms. She picks up the bag of chips and idly pulls it open. After popping one in her mouth she turns to you and says,

"Now then, care to help me tip the vending machine over a bit?"

You laugh, surprised. "Sure," you reply with a sly grin. You've gotta say, you appreciate this girl's wit. Besides, as your traitorous stomach reminded you, you really could use something to eat.

"Excellent," she smiles, taking hold of one end of the machine. You take hold of the other and she counts to three.

"One, two, _three," _you both push against the vending machine and you crane your neck to look through the glass front.

"Is it coming loose?" She asks.

"No," you frown. The stubborn thing is snagged on something. Just your luck. You give the vending machine an extra shove, and suddenly the M&Ms, along with half of the other snacks, fall forward. You and the other girl ease the machine back into place, and stare for a moment at the load of junk food now spilling from the tray.

"An unexpected, yet not unfortunate result," she says. She smiles again. She has a nice smile, not the annoying perky kind that makes you want to punch something; but a 'my plan is working well isn't that fun' sort of smile. You think you like it. "I think this is fair payment for our determination," she announces.

"Hell yeah it is," you grin. You like the way this girl thinks. Only suckers would let an opportunity like this go to waste.

She looks at you for a moment. "My name is Rose Lalonde," she says, holding out her right hand.

"Vriska," you say, returning her handshake. "Vriska Serket." You see a look of confusion pass over her face. A moment later you realize why.

You hold your left arm up and tap it with your other hand. "It's a prosthetic," you explain, bracing yourself for the usual questions. You try, and fail, to suppress your annoyance. Just once you'd like to introduce yourself normally. At this rate people will be greeting you with Bionica jokes by the end of the week.

Her expression clears, and to your surprise she doesn't ask you anything about your "robot arm", as so many have called it. Instead she asks, "So where are you headed?"

"Well," you say with a sigh, "I was _planning _to go to my Psychology class. The Merciless Gods of Skaia University however seem intent on cursing me to wander these fucking halls for the rest of the eternity. Bastards…" You mutter that last part under your breath.

She raises an eyebrow at this. "Psychology huh? Well Vriska, it seems the Gods of Skaia University may not be so merciless after all."

"How's that?" You ask, tilting your head to the side.

"Because," she begins, rummaging for something in her black tote bag, "I just so happen to be taking Psychology myself. And I have _this,_" she says triumphantly, flourishing a pamphlet with the Skaia University logo on it. It's some sort of sun on a light blue background or something. You've never really looked at it that much. You're much more interested in what it says _under _the logo.

"Is that?" You ask in awe, seldom daring to believe it.

"It is," she nods. "A map of Skaia University."

First the vending machine and now this. Maybe there's someone here you can stand after all. You let out a small laugh. "You might just be alright," you grin.

"Well I should hope so," she says. "After all I did just saving you from an eternity of wandering the halls of Skaia University until you starved to death."

"Good point," you say, scooping several handfuls of snack food into your own bag. It's dark blue and covered with a silver spider web design, matching well with your navy jeans and black v-neck top. The only contrast to your outfit is your lucky red sneakers. Ever since you read a mythology book as a child about red shoes being good luck you've worn practically nothing that wasn't some shade of it. Some people might say it's ridiculous to wear a particular thing solely because of a myth. Some people can fuck off.

During your internal diatribe, Rose has unfolded the map and is currently tracing her finger along its surface.

"Ah hah!" She exclaims. "Here it is," she says, showing you a small square in the map. She lets you hold it as she goes to take several snacks from the remains of their vending machine pillage. There are so many lines twisting and turning on the guide, it's no wonder you'd gotten lost. Now that you've got a map though…

"Follow me," you say, swinging your bag over your shoulder.

"Are you sure?" Rose asks, sounding surprised. "Wouldn't you rather look at the map a bit longer?"

"Oh Rose," you say, shaking your head, "Don't you know? Never doubt a Serket girl with a map." With that you stride confidently down the hall, looking briefly over your shoulder to find her following right behind you, a bemused smile flickering across her face. You navigate your way through the labyrinth of halls and staircases, smirking as you pass the janitor once more. She says nothing, but watches silently as you pass by. Several minutes later you stop before a door marked "Psychology 101".

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you," Rose says solemnly.

"I suppose you're forgiven this once," you say, opening the door. You follow her in and find a seat near the back. Rose offers you a seat next to her, but you shake your head. You appreciate wit and a nice smile. You don't appreciate attachment. Getting attached means getting close. And you of all people know the dangers of that.

**AN: **Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up soon! Comments always welcome!

All rights to Homestuck belong to Andrew Hussie.


	2. Chapter 2

A young man stands in the middle of Skaia University's main square. It just so happens that today is his first day of college.  
Your name is John Egbert, and despite your optimistic attitude, you're feeling slightly overwhelmed. Slightly may be a bit of an understatement actually. It might be more accurate to say you're slowly descending into severely stressed-out territory and you have no idea where your first class is.

Essentially, you're lost.

You sigh, turning in a full circle. There are multiple paths branching off from the square, and you have no idea where any of them lead. You could always just choose one and hope that it leads you to your Biology Lab, but you sort of doubt you'd get that lucky.

The smell of coffee wafts past you, and you deeply breathe in its aroma. You decide it's about time for a caffeine fix. Following the scent, you take a path to the left and find yourself rounding the perimeter of a large building. You peer up at the building's placard, shielding your eyes from the sun with one hand, and see that it says "Skaia University Library". _Huh, that's good to know,_ you think to yourself. _I'll probably be spending a lot of time there. I wonder if they have any jobs openings…_ You've volunteered at libraries before, and overall there's just something you like about the calm atmosphere they have. You decide you'll have to swing by there later, assuming you can find your way back. You continue walking down the path, and as the rich smell of ground coffee beans grows stronger you see it. A coffee hut.

"Thank god," you say to yourself, walking a little faster. You reach the end of the line, and try to wait patiently. You used to hate coffee when you were younger, but now it's frequently the only thing that keeps you going. You remember the first time you told Dad you liked coffee. He'd looked at you quietly for a moment before hugging you tightly and saying how proud he was to see you becoming a man right before his eyes. He'd left you notes all the time saying how proud he was of you. You had always groaned when you found them, embarrassed. Your dad was so proud the day you got you acceptance letter to Skaia he cried a little. You found notes everywhere for weeks after that. You're not sure how you feel about it, but now that you're away from home, you have to admit that they always were kind of nice. Just another thing to make you homesick now you guess.

_At least I already know some people here,_ you think to yourself. You imagine it must suck to start over somewhere alone.

Thankfully, you've got your friends Rose and Dave to keep you company. Jade's at Vet School, learning to do…whatever it is people learn to do at vet school. Her university's only half an hour away though, so you'll still get to see her. You still can't believe that you and your friends got into the same university. For years you'd talked online and even met in person a few times over the years, mostly during the summer or school breaks, and then you'd started high school and suddenly it was time to start looking for colleges and during one chat you realized that you all had one university in common on your lists. One whirlwind of college applications, anticipation, and acceptance letters later and now here you are. Jade waited until the last minute to make her decision. You could tell how torn she was between pursuing her passion and staying with you guys, afraid that if she went somewhere else you would all drift apart. Until of course the three of you talked some sense into her. _"We've been friends for how long?"_ Dave had asked her. _"There's not a force on Earth that could free you from me and these losers,"_ he informed her solemnly. _"He's right you know,"_ Rose had told her. _"Psychologists say that friendships that exceed seven years are most often destined to last a lifetime." "See? What'd I tell you?"_ Dave had said. _"You're stuck with us Harley, no matter what."_

Speaking of Dave, just then you hear your phone buzz. You pull out your phone and see that you've got a new message from him on the Pesterchum mobile app.

[TG] hey john  
[GT] hey dave. i'm in line at a coffe hut.  
[GT] want anything?  
[TG] COFFEE john? really? its like you dont even know me sometimes  
[GT] …  
[GT] they don't sell apple juice dave.  
[TG] I know  
[TG] thats why coffee huts suck  
[TG] anyways ive got it covered  
[GT] oh god  
[GT] don't tell me you're wearing the hat.  
[TG] hey  
[TG] dont hate on my sick-ass hat  
[TG] this things got wicked irony woven into its very fiber  
[TG] not to mention  
[TG] hands-free apple juice enjoyment 24-7  
[TG] its like motherfucking christmas up in here  
[GT] you look ridiculous.  
[TG] ironically ridiculous  
[TG] magically delicious-  
[GT] stop  
[GT] no raps  
[GT] it's too early in the morning for that  
[TG] whatever  
[TG] youre just jealous  
[GT] jealous that you have a cheap plastic drinking helmet filled with apple juice?  
[GT] yeah dave.  
[GT] i'm so jealous.  
[TG] i fucking knew it  
[TG] its okay though because I forgive you  
[TG] Because thats what bros like us do  
[TG] Aint no jealousy shit ever gonna come between us  
[GT] yeah  
[GT] thanks for that dave.  
[TG] youre welcome john  
[TG] so do you know where your first class is yet?  
[GT] sadly no  
[GT] i'm pretty much lost :(  
[TG] and yet you still managed to find coffee  
[GT] priorities strider, priorities.  
[TG] damn egbert  
[TG] youre hooked on that shit  
[GT] says the guy with a drinking helmet  
[TG] hey  
[TG] addiction is a powerful thing man  
[GT] you don't have to tell me!  
[GT] oh hey, i'm at the front of the line.  
[GT] talk to you later?  
[TG] yeah man  
[TG] catch ya later

You step up to the hut and order a large cup of coffee. As you wait, you tuck your phone back into your bag. Something light blue catches your eye, and you pull out a Skaia University pamphlet, puzzled. Below the school logo it reads "Map of Skaia University Campus", and under that is a note from your dad.

"Son. Congratulations again on your acceptance to Skaia University. Here is a map of the campus to help you along the way. This is a big step for every bright young man. I am so, so proud of you."

"Thanks Dad," you laugh under your breath, smiling. You unfold the map just as the barista hands you your steaming cup of coffee, and turn away from the hut, scanning the mess of twists and turns on the map for the Biology Lab. Someone bumps into, jostling you and your coffee. A small percentage of it spills on your sleeve and onto the guy who ran into you. He stops to glare at you for a second and snarls:

"Watch it you guzzling fuck-wit," before storming away. He's wearing a baggy dark grey sweater, and his curly tousled hair makes it look like he just woke up. Judging by how fast he's hurrying through the crowd you think that might be the case. You'd know the "Oh shit I overslept" look anywhere. Sighing, you hold the map out in front of you again. You trace your finger over the pathways until you come to a square marked "Science Department". Working your way back, you trace a path to the round library building behind you, which is marked on the map with a circle. It's not too far, but it's not close either. You'll be lucky to just make it.

You look around at the bustling crowd for a moment before setting off in the same direction as the guy who bumped you. You have a feeling it's going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 3

Your name is Vriska Serket, and it's been a long day. You've trekked across the campus twice today and the third trip it's taking to get back to your dorm room is proving to be a bit much. Your bag feels as though it weighs 8 million pounds, and you curse as its strap bites deeper into your shoulder. While you admit "8 million pounds" may be a slight overstatement, it is pretty heavy with all of your textbooks in it. Despite your weariness though, today hasn't really been that bad. You like your classes well enough, and you've already met one person you can tolerate. You take a deep breath and pause for a moment, looking around. The sun is slowly setting, the air has reached a nice, cool temperature, and all around you you can hear the soft sound of insects buzzing. A warm breeze glides through the air, reminiscent of Summer's end. Fellow university students are taking advantage of the pleasant temperature, and you see many people sitting together on the campuses' green spaces and outdoor tables, comparing stories of their first day at Skaia. You feel a slight twinge of envy at how care-free they look, as if everything's just right in the world.

You bite back your small bitterness as you climb the steps to the second floor of your dormitory. You've gotta admit, it's not bad for college housing. The hallways are the same light blue as the study area from this morning, and the floors are a light brown; probably meant to look like wood flooring. There are lots of flyers tacked up on the bulletin boards lining the hall, and you make a mental note to take a look at them later. Among the flyers, at least a dozen or more are extracurricular sign-ups. Who knows, maybe there's a group for Spider Webs of the World or Advanced Hypnosis. A girl can dream!

You smile a bit at the idea as you pull out the keys to your room. It's all the way at the end of the hall, and is separated from the neighboring dorm by a supply closet.

You'd gotten to Skaia late yesterday afternoon, and you'd been so tired you went to sleep soon after unpacking. Combine that with the rush you were in this morning, and you haven't spent much time in this room at all so far. The door swings inward, and for the first time you really take in its small interior.

Continuing the rest of the building's theme, the walls are light blue. The floor however is beige carpet, and you remind yourself to see if anyone has a vacuum you can borrow as you accidentally step on the few bits of cereal you'd dropped this morning. You let your bag drop to the ground and sit down on your bed. It consists of a twin-sized mattress covered with plain white sheets and takes up one wall of your room, along with a wooden bedside table. Said table is currently occupied by an alarm clock, your glasses case, a lamp, and a worn paperback filled with earmarked pages. The next wall is mostly taken up with a metal desk set below the room's single window. It overlooks a group of trees and a small bench, and should let in a decent amount of light during the day. You'll have to fix that.

The third wall, and fourth half-wall, is home to your closet, a narrow armoire-mirror combo, and a laundry hamper. It's not much, being half the size of the other dorms; but hey, it's yours. Most people would be ecstatic to have a single room on their first year, and while you certainly won't mind the privacy, it's yet another reminder. People don't trust you.

The school claimed they'd simply already filled the rest of the dorms. Your placement was purely coincidental, they'd said. But you know better. They're not taking any more chances with you than they have to, and honestly, you can't say that you blame them. You'd be careful with someone like you too.

It still stings though, and you feel your shoulders slump as you continuing looking at your impersonal surroundings. There are no posters on the walls, no useless knick-knacks or souvenirs from past trips on the armoire, not a single photo on the shelf built into the wall; nothing to give any indication of your personality or life up until this point. The clothes in your closet are the only things that give any hint to your taste, and they're currently hidden from view. Even if the closet door was open though, all there'd be to look at are several pairs of jeans, an assortment of long and short sleeved tops, in shades of blue and black respectively, a few tanks, a swimsuit that may or may not fit, and a black hoodie. There's a box too, shoved as far back in the corner as it would go, but you're not thinking about that now.

Instead, you're gazing thoughtfully at your phone, scrolling down the short list of contacts until you reach its newest addition.  
Your thumb hovers over the send button.

Rose invited you to have dinner with her. Said she'd heard of this great little café nearby that has some kind of chocolate cake that's to die for. Much as you'd kill for some chocolate right now, you'd said you'd have to see how you were feeling. Long first day and all. She gave you her Pesterchum code and said to feel free to message her anytime.

You'd sworn to yourself that you wouldn't get attached to anyone, but looking around your new room... you think maybe there's a fine line between not getting too attached and being a hermit. You've done the isolation thing before, it doesn't suit you. Plus, it would be a crime not to investigate the potential of good cake, wouldn't it? _New starts don't involve starting crime sprees_ , you reason with yourself.

That settles it, you hit the button.

[AG] Rose?  
[TT] Hello Vriska, how are you?  
[AG] Good. How are you?  
[TT] I'm fine thank you.  
[AG] You mentioned something about cake earlier?  
[TT] Why yes, yes I did. Would you like to try out the cafe I mentioned?  
[AG] Do they have a lot of cake?  
[TT] I've been told there are obscene amounts of cake.  
[AG] Then what are we w8ing for? ::::)  
[TT] I have no idea. Which dorm room are you in? Give me five minutes and I'll be right there.  
[AG] It's 18, last one down the hall.  
[TT] A8 on the vending machine, 8-legged creature on your bag, substituting the eight sound with an 8, and now 18 as your dorm room. I believe I'm sensing a theme here.  
[AG] What a coincidence! I 8elieve I'm sensing an acute feeling of hunger.  
[TT] Message received. Would food constitute as a sufficient bribe should I want to ask you more about this quirk?  
[AG] 8uy me food and I'll sell you a soul.  
[TT] I'll keep that in mind.

Rose says she'll see you soon, and despite your earlier misgivings, you feel a small smile tug at your lips as you put away your phone.

AN: It is a most grave crime indeed not to investigate good cake. Comments always welcome!

All rights to Homestuck belong to Andrew Hussie.


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